What Are Website Redesign Cost Factors: Helpful Tips

Website redesign cost is a difficult topic. However, it is necessary to consider because websites and their redesigns are very important to businesses nowadays. The actual price you will pay will depend on many factors. A redesign can cost anywhere between several hundred and tens of thousands of dollars. Still, an estimate would be helpful. We will compile a comprehensive list of factors to consider when budgeting for your redesign. Let’s see what really matters.

What Exactly Do You Want?

Website redesign can mean many things depending on your needs. Here are a few options that are commonly recognized by web designers.

• Redecoration. Sometimes you just want cosmetic changes, and that is a valid way to freshen up your website. It means working with the frontend — the part of the website that visitors interact with. For example, you rebranded, and you need new colors and fonts instead of the old ones. This version of a redesign is usually cheaper because it requires less work.
• Rewire. The issue is not with the appearance of your website. You need, instead, to change the backend. That is the entire infrastructure that your website is built on. You might want to change your Content Management System (CMS), for example. This approach to website redesign is also relatively inexpensive because it only applies to the backend.
• Remodel. This method is more comprehensive and requires both back-end and front-end changes. You are making major changes to the website’s functionality while also altering how it looks. This type of website redesign is more expensive.
• Rebuild. You are making a new website. You might still use some parts of the old one, but this one is going to be different. This method requires the most effort and resources, so it is the most expensive one.

This is one of the primary causes for price differences in website redesign. While a redecoration might cost $800, a rebuild will most definitely cost thousands of dollars. Do not waste your money on changes you do not need! But be prepared to pay for the things your website does require. 

Who Will Handle Your Website Redesign?

Who does the redesign also translates to different costs. There are three general options to consider.

• In-house team. Do you have a team of developers? Great, you just answered the question of who will do your redesign. Of course, this is not an option for everyone. Maintaining a developer team is expensive. You need to select, hire, and pay all those employees. But they are always available to help you with any issues with your website.
• Agency. If you do not have a team but have quite a lot of money, you can try out an agency. You will need to find one that offers the services you are looking for at a price you can handle. Pay attention to the agency’s reviews, portfolio and general competence. Do they communicate well? This is a pricey option for website redesign. You want that money to be well-spent!
• Freelancer. Freelancers are generally cheaper than agencies. However, you still need to find the right one! Again, portfolios and reviews are important here. You can try to give a freelancer a small task to check their expertise and professionalism. Communication is very important, and you might have to supervise the project for the best results. 

There is a fourth, secret option, too.

• DIY. Yes, you can redesign a website yourself! Especially nowadays with numerous no-code tools! However, that requires time, effort, learning, and the result is not guaranteed to be good enough. This option costs very little — or even nothing if the tool you chose has a free plan. For instance, with Webflow, you can get two pages for free. Free plans are not very extensive, though. You may want more options.

How Big Is Your Website?

The next important question concerns the size of your website. Different agencies may have different perspectives on what makes a site big. On average, though, if you have a couple dozen pages, your website is probably small. A medium website might have a hundred pages. Several hundred pages are probably for big websites. 

The more pages you have, the more work it is to redesign your website. A rewire of a small website done by a freelancer may cost $3000. A rebuild of a large website, especially by an agency, will probably require $70,000 or more. 

I strive for two things in design: simplicity and clarity. Great design is born of those two things.

Lindon Leader, designer

What Style and Features Do You Want to Use?

There are a lot of decisions to make when working on a website redesign. Style and features are not free, and everything that requires more work means greater costs. It does not mean that a cheap website has to be ugly, far from it! A sleek and simple style looks good and can even be considered more convenient due to less distraction. 

But still, when you consider the budget, take into account the style and feature demands of your website. Do you need a cart? Or possibly an AI bot? Choose wisely and consult the specialists working on your redesign to see what you can afford to include. 

Do You Want a Responsive or Adaptive Website Redesign?

An important feature of a modern website is that it looks good regardless of the device you use to access it. That usually means using either responsive or adaptive design.

• Responsive design solves the issue by changing its layout depending on the screen it is on. It is quicker to create but requires some development and expert knowledge. It is usually used when a big website is being designed from scratch. 
• Adaptive design presupposes creating new versions of the website for each possible screen. It is more work for the UX designer — the person responsible for a user’s journey through the website. However, this approach helps to create highly customized versions of the website. Given the amount of work, it is better to use adaptive redesign with smaller websites.

Either option can be better for your case. Consider asking the specialists you are employing which is best for you. 

But can you do without making sure that your website looks good on different screens? The answer is probably not. Nowadays, screens are everywhere, and they are different. You need to be accommodating to mobile users or else you lose traffic. It would be cheaper not to create six different versions of the same website. However, it would be detrimental to your business in the long run.

Bottom line: make your website mobile-friendly, even though such a redesign costs more.

Do You Need Any Integrations?

A lot of the time, you need integrations with various services. That means additional work for your redesign team and more costs for you. For instance, you may need a CMS, and to integrate it, you have to pay extra. 

However, this aspect of the website redesign price varies rather significantly depending on the circumstances. In particular, the specific integration you need may be easier or more difficult to implement. Sometimes, the integration needs to be developed from scratch, and that is very expensive. Consult your team and decide which integrations fit into your budget. 

Deadline for the Website Redesign

Are you in a hurry to redesign your website? That will cost you extra. That is why it is preferable not to postpone the redesign until you can no longer use the old website. If you can give your team more time, do so. 

That said, if you do need to hurry, many agencies and freelancers will offer you a quicker service. Often, a redesign can take just 30 days! But again, it is going to be expensive, especially if the website is big or needs a lot of features. 

In Conclusion

A website redesign cost depends on many factors. They include the scope of work, the selected team, website size, style and features, integrations and deadlines. You will also pay extra for a mobile-friendly design because you almost certainly need that. From cheaper freelancers to expensive agencies, you need to negotiate the price to get all the features you need.